Russia on Saturday accused Kiev and Western nations of distorting a Ukraine peace agreement hours before it was to take effect and as fighting raged in the east of the country.
"Ukraine's official representatives...as well as those of several Western countries, the United States in particular, have essentially expressed solidarity with the opinion of radical nationalists in the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) and have begun to distort the contents of the Minsk agreements," the foreign ministry said in a statement.